Disclosure: I was sent some pieces from The Idle Man Autumn/Winter 2017 collection to review. Product links are not affiliate links, but purely for informational purposes.

I discovered The Idle Man online store at the start of last year while looking for somewhere to buy a pair of Dickies 874 trousers from, because at the time all I could seem to find elsewhere were the slimmer cuts. Since then I have shopped from there a few times because they stock a good array of menswear brands and I find the customer service pleasant and efficient (which sounds like a small detail, but you would be surprised at how many retailers fall short). However I had never really had any great amount of experience with their affordable own label until recently. I bought a fluffy teddy bear hoodie (that some of you may have seen on my Instagram), which I absolutely love. So when I got an email from the team soon thereafter asking me whether I would like to review some of the clothes from their current Autumn/Winter 2017 collection, I thought it would be fun to see what other clothes they offer and whether they could actually work with the clothes in my wardrobe.

I tried to get pieces that would allow me to create quite a few different looks, just to see what sort of diversity was possible in terms of styling. Indeed I liked the fact that their lookbook for the season, while small, was varied enough to show what routes one could go down or find in terms of dressing. So I have been wearing the various pieces in my own daily outfits to get used to how they feel, how they move, and overall to get a good idea of what I like about them, and what could do with some improvement. I have broken down the review into sections, which hopefully cover my key impressions and findings. Overall, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

Design

The collection as a whole has a pretty diverse array of options to choose from, with a decent offering for basics and layering pieces, meaning that it caters nicely to a wider audience. I think that all of the pieces that I chose were solid in terms of design. I tried to stick to more foundational pieces so that I could use them as a spring board for different styles - a very casual look, a more refined casual, and then a relatively smart look. I thought that the corduroy shirt was interesting in terms of material choice, because it was a very fine corduroy, meaning that in person it looks almost like velour. I enjoy wearing different textures of black, so that was nice. In terms of materials, I think that the fabrics chosen lay well, flowed well and felt comfortable. I do wish the denim was a heavier weight, but that is personal preference I suppose.

Fit

I thought that the shirt would be a hard sell, because I usually have difficulty in finding sleeves long enough, but this one fit surprisingly well. I could have done with an extra half inch of cuff and perhaps a slightly longer collar, but otherwise it was fine. I went with two different pairs of trousers just to get an idea of the cuts. The straight leg chinos fit comfortably, with a good amount of space around the seat, which was nice, because I really dislike anything tight up top (I usually size up because although I have a small waist, my bum is relatively large, and this was no exception). The relaxed tapered "dad" jeans were something I was curious to try because I have been seeing them everywhere lately. I went with the long leg, rather than the standard, because I am quite tall and did not particularly want three-quarter length jeans (I have made that mistake with cropped trousers before!). They fit as intended in that longer length, and overall were roomy and comfortable, although I wish they had a sharper taper.

Construction

For such an affordable offering I was not actually sure what to expect, but thankfully everything seemed solidly built and up to daily wear without any issue. The stitching was a bit hit and miss in terms of tidiness though, so I did spend a few minutes before wearing things for the first time just taking some scissors to them to clean things up. The chinos were finished nicely and well made though, so that was nice to see. Given more time I would be interested to see how they hold up after multiple washes, but I might edit this post later on down the line with an update.

Value

I have said it already, but I was pleasantly surprised. The label is on the affordable end of the spectrum, and as such I do think it is worthy of consideration at that price point. I also think that it would be a good way of experimenting, for those wishing to explore different styles or looks without necessarily spending so much. One small note though - I paid for next day delivery on these, well before the cut off time, and it ended up taking two days to arrive. This was more to do with the fact that Hermes delivery is rubbish in my area, but even so, something I have to mention.

Conclusion

Overall I think that The Idle Man's own label is a solid affordable option for those wishing to add some nice basics into their wardrobes, or simply experiment with their style without investing so heavily, monetarily speaking, into the process. I enjoyed the fact that the pieces I had worked relatively seamlessly with the rest of my wardrobe, and felt natural in terms of styling.

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The Idle Man, a menswear based retailer, catering to the style conscious man. Hosting brands such as Herschel, Dr. Martens and Laboratory Perfumes, The Idle Man is a go-to destination for men. Alongside the online shop, The Idle Man Manual is a blog dedicated to offering style advice as well as stories and guides about music, grooming and lifestyle.The team over at The Idle Man were also kind enough to offer readers 10% off their orders with code DAPPERKID10

A blog where I am able to discuss my thoughts on fashion, dress, and everything related. It started back in 2008 with a laptop and a desire to talk to someone about clothes. Since then I have spent years reading and studying everything I can get my hands on with regards to fashion and dress.